174 AN INTRODUCTION 



cago*. In respect to the Fumaria in question, it is 

 known to be one species only, by the minuteness 

 of its perianthium, the scale of its bud, the struc- 

 ture of its leaves, the situation of the branch, the 

 place of the bracteae, the corolla, siliqua, seeds, and 

 stigma ; but it varies in the division of its bracteae, 

 and in the root being more or less hollow. And 

 that the Valerians here spoken of are all the same 

 species, though they differ so greatly in the fruit, and 

 often in having their leaves more cut, is also proved 

 from their dichotomous steins and annual roots, and 

 from the structure of their leaves, corollae and seeds. 

 Nor should the species of Scorpiurus and Medicago, 

 here instanced, be either of them parted, although 

 there is so remarkable a diversity in the fruit of the 

 individuals. In the Medicago f in particular, the 

 forms of the real snails, which nature has imitated in 

 these plants, are scarce more diversified than is the 

 fruit of this mimic species ; so that the Botanist, 

 who is studious of varieties, would hardly find any 

 end to his labour, of pursuing nature through the 

 various shapes which she has so wantonly adopted. 



The whole order of the Fungi, to the scandal of 

 the science, is still a chaos, botanists not being 

 able in these to decide with certainty what is a spe- 

 cies, and what a variety. 



* Medicago leguminibus cochleatis, stipulis dcntatis. caulo 

 diffuse (H. C.) 



f Medicago scutellata hirsuta 



orbieulata lupulina 



echinata spinosa 



turbinata rngosa 



coronata polycarpos 



deliata dicarpos 



filiaris Arabica 



tornata Cretica 



